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The Planning Process
`IGASAR' - A process model for inquiry
Integrated Units
`IGASAR' – A process model for inquiry
To support teachers in the planning and implementation of programs,
this model was used. It provides teachers with an organisation framework
to plan teaching/learning experiences. Each of the units developed
has a focus question and three or more contributing questions.
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- Getting students engaged in thinking about the question
- Sensitise and motivate
- Reflecting on existing knowledge
- Formulating questions
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- Actively seeking and recording information
- Senses, people, the environment, texts, computers, audiovisual
resources
- Recorded in writing, drawings, photographs, videotape,
diagrams
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- Investigate relationships between the ideas and issues
that have been recorded
- Categorise, conceptualise, compare and contrast
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- Drawing conclusions about what the students have learnt
- Constructing meaning
- Making generalisations
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- Acting upon what the students have learnt
- Applying the learning to new and different situations
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- What has been learnt?
- How have the students learnt?
- Answer the focus question
- Suggest new issues and ideas for investigation
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*click on the sqare thumbnail to
view larger worksample
a) Years 3-4
Unit: What can we learn from our neighbouring countries?
The teacher used two key questions to help identify what students
already knew about the topic: `Who and where are our neighbouring
countries?' and `Who do you think are our ten closest neighbouring
countries?'.
The students worked in groups and developed a series of questions
that they wanted to answer during the unit.
b) Kindergarten
Unit: Why is it important to help each other?
The children brainstormed helping words (verbs) that they knew.
These words were used to label pictures of people helping at school
and at home.
c)Year 5
Unit: How does cultural diversity affect us?
The students worked in groups and used a variety of strategies
to identify issues for their unit. These were later categorised
and used to set the direction for the unit.
Student responses
d) Year 1
Unit: Why do people belong to groups?
The class developed a table of artifacts including symbols, clothes
and logos that help identify a range of groups.
Student responses
a) Years 5/6
Unit: Why are forests important and how are people trying
to protect them?
The students worked in groups to gather information from a variety
of sources such as the World Wide Web. The teacher had identified
several sites and added to 'favourite websites' to save some time.
A retrieval chart was used to categorise some of the information.
The chart is used by the students when working on other aspects
of the unit.
b)Year 6
Unit: What is Antarctica and why are people trying to protect
it?
The two classes worked together. Each group gathered information
on different aspects of the topic. The information was displayed
on a large wall for reference by all students.
Student work
Student work
c) Kindergarten
Unit: How can we care for natural things?
The children discussed and collected a range of everyday things,
including objects in the room, to determine whether they were
natural or built.
Student work
d) Year 1
Unit: Why do people belong to groups?
The two classes invited several guest speakers who provided them
with information on a range of groups, eg pony club, scouts, orchestra,
soccer club. This information was recorded on a retrieval chart
displayed on the wall.
Student work
e) Year 4
Unit: How did British colonisation affect people's lives in
Australia?
The students worked in groups to gather information about different
aspects of their unit, eg plants, birds, shellfish.
Student work
Student work
f) Years 1-2
Unit: Why do people tell stories?
The students developed a survey to find out from family members
and other classes what they knew about their question `Who tells
stories?'.
The data from the survey was later used to develop a retrieval
chart.
g) Year 3
Unit: How and why do people use maps?
The unit was initiated with an excursion to the city where the
classes visited the observation deck of Centrepoint Tower. They
were able to observe from above the layout of streets and identify
the direction of landmarks. The students also used a floor plan
(map) of the Australian Museum to plot a path through the displays
they were to see. The students have investigated a wide range
of map types and the people that are likely to use them.
Student work.
Student work.
a) Year 5
Unit: How does cultural diversity affect us?
The information investigated and categorised was displayed to
provide a reference point for all students throughout the unit.
Student work.
Student work.
b) Year 6
Unit: Why is Antarctica important and how are people trying
to protect it?
From the initial investigations the students were able to organise
information about both the Antarctic and Arctic.
Student work.
c) Years 3-4
Unit: What can we learn from our neighbouring countries?
The students worked in groups and organised their information
into six topic areas. The information was collated and displayed.
This activity will be used to provide a model for the students
to follow when they undertake their independent studies.
Student work.
d) Year 4
Unit: How did British colonisation affect people's lives in
Australia?
The class had previously identified particular resources as the
organisers for their information. This was made into a matrix
and the students worked in groups to complete it, first for Aboriginal
peoples and later for colonisers.
Student work.
d) Kindergarten
Unit: How can we care for natural things?
Following discussions of characteristics and the collection of
natural and built things in the classroom, the students were asked
to complete an independent task.
Student work.
d) Year 2
Unit: Why is water important to people and the environment?
The information gathered by the students is organised for them
to use in later independent activities.
Student work.
a) Kindergarten
Unit: Why is it important to help each other?
Toward the end of each contributing question the teacher used
activities that allowed students to communicate their understandings
and draw conclusions.
The question was answered through interviews with key members
of the school community and asking 'What would happen if ..?'
The children expressed generalisations about their learning.
The children expressed generalisations about their learning.
Year 1
Unit: Why do people tell stories?
The students wrote generalisations to answer the initial contributing
question.
Year 2
Unit: Why is water important to people and the environment?
Following a visit to the sewerage treatment works and the local
creek, the students developed short slogans to express their understanding
of the issues. Many of these were displayed around the school
to remind other members of the school community about the right
thing to do.
Year 3
Unit: How and Why do people use maps?
The question 'Why are Captain Cook's maps important? involved
the students in researching and discussing a wide range of information
from a variety of sources and then presenting it in many forms.
The students were asked to answer the contributing question with
a short statement.
Year 3/4
Unit: What can we learn from our neighbouring countries?
The students formed generalisations as they worked through the
unit.
Year 4
Unit: How did British colonisation affect people's lives in
Australia?
One class presented their conclusions as a joint construction.
The other class presented their learning as a poem.
Year 5/6
Unit: Why are forests important and how are people trying
to protect them?
During the unit the class developed three large wall collages
that illustrated the features, fauna and flora of each forest.
Each display also illustrated the interdependence of the flora,
fauna and inhabitants of the forest.
The conclusions of an individual student. The conclusions were
displayed around the edges of the large wall collages.
Kindergarten
Unit: How can we care for natural things?
The class developed a garden using the knowledge they had gained
throughout the unit.
Year 1/2
Unit: Why do people tell stories?
The students created a narrative as a joint construction, using
the scaffold they learnt during the unit while reading and discussing
a wide range of stories.
The students were able to write and publish their own story at
the end of the unit.
Year 3/4
Unit: What can we learn from our neighbouring countries?
The students worked in groups and developed a range of board games
using the information and knowledge they had learnt.
On the Open Day these students demonstrated their game for the
visitors.
Following a visit to the NSW Art Gallery to view Asian Art the
students made their own models from clay.
Year 6
Unit: Why is Antarctica important and how are people trying
to protect it?
The students created brochures about caring for Antarctica.
Some examples of the brochures.
Student Reflection
The IGASAR model concludes with an opportunity for students to
reflect on their learning and to answer the focus question. Some
teachers asked students to present individual responses, while
others developed joint responses.
Example
Example
Example
Example
Example
Example
Example
Example
Example
Teacher Reflection
Throughout the project the teachers and principals also reflected
on their learning. Many kept a journal to record their experiences.
The staff at St Cecilia's, Balgowlah discussing their progress.
The staff at Our Lady of the Rosary, Waitara discussing their
progress.
On the Open days each teacher shared their experiences with colleagues
from many schools. The teachers outlined their planning and implementation
processes and discussed their learning and other experiences as
the group visited their classrooms.
Open Day at St Cecilia's, Balgowlah.
Open Day at Our Lady of the Rosary, Waitara.
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